Saturday, January 31, 2015

We stopped for fuel in a tiny roadside
town with a population of less than a few dozen. While I could not imagine
spending my whole life in that place, I have to think that God puts people
where He wants them, each with a purpose for being there.

Joseph wound up in Egypt for a purpose. His
brothers betrayed him and sold him into slavery. When he rescued them from
famine, they were terrified, but he reassured them. Then, when their father
died, they were afraid again, but Joseph said to
them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil
against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people
should be kept alive, as they are today. So do not fear; I will provide for you
and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. (Genesis
50:19–21)

That was an important purpose. Jesus would
be born through the line of Judah, so this brother could not die in a famine. By
the grace of God and the obedience of Joseph, all were saved.

Later, the people in the lineage of Jesus
would have to be saved again, this time from the Egyptians. After Joseph died,
another Pharaoh came along and was not so favorable to God’s people. They would
need to escape, but before that happened, Joseph told them that it would . . .

So Joseph remained
in Egypt, he and his father’s house. Joseph lived 110 years. And Joseph saw
Ephraim’s children of the third generation. The children also of Machir the son
of Manasseh were counted as Joseph’s own. And Joseph said to his brothers, “I
am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to
the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” (Genesis 50:22–24)

Joseph is one of the people I look forward
to meeting in heaven. He was wise and trusted God to take care of him and his
family. Solomon was another wise man, perhaps with a few more foibles than
most, but he did offer many words of wisdom in his proverbs and also Ecclesiastes.
I particularly like the ending of this book . . .

The words of the
wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings;
they are given by one Shepherd. My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of
making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment,
with every secret thing, whether good or evil. (Ecclesiastes
12:11–14)

Much study is a weariness of the flesh! No
kidding. I am tired of reading, tired of hearing long theological arguments
that have little to do with practical life situations, and tired of trying to
remember the meaning of words like fallibilism and fideism. It’s been a long
day/week/month of reading, taking notes, and listening to lectures. Even the
professor giving the lectures admits that some of this is tedious.

On good days, I’m thrilled with all that I’m
learning, but today is not one of those. So God, in His way of knowing what to
say to me and when to say it, gives me these verses in my final devotional
reading . . .

Therefore, since we
are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every
weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race
that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our
faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the
shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who
endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow
weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted
to the point of shedding your blood. (Hebrews 12:1–4)

The sins I struggle with today are
procrastination, being unthankful, skepticism, laziness, complaining, and just
plain grumpiness. God shakes His head at me. What I’m called to do is nothing
like the tasks He gave Joseph, and nothing like the challenges He gave Solomon,
and a pittance compared to the mission of Jesus Christ. I need to confess all
this, stop complaining, and be thankful, and then joyfully get back to work.

Friday, January 30, 2015

My dad used to say that age was relative,
that a two-year-old could be a horse, a man, or an egg! I’m inclined to think
age is also relative to the way I feel, as in aches and pains, or fatigue, or
that sense of time running out, or how many times I cannot remember the name of
a person I’ve known for years OR the delight of no sore spots, feeling like I have
all the time I need, and winning a game of Scrabble with more than three
hundred points!

In the Old Testament, the patriarchs
blessed their families before they died. Jacob was nearing that time. His son Joseph
brought his two sons to receive their blessing. The right hand signified the
greater blessings . . .

“And Israel
stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the
younger, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, crossing his hands (for
Manasseh was the firstborn) . . . When Joseph saw that his father laid his
right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him, and he took his father’s
hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. And Joseph said to his
father, “Not this way, my father; since this one is the firstborn, put your
right hand on his head.” But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I
know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great. Nevertheless,
his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a
multitude of nations.” (Genesis 48:14, 17–19)

I marvel at this aged man. He had learned to
listen to God, and near the end of his life, he was still listening and willing
to step outside tradition. He blessed his grandsons as the Lord indicated, not
listening to custom or to Joseph. I hope I can have that kind of faithfulness
the rest of my life.

The second passage in today’s reading also
speaks of aging. It uses figurative language to describe deterioration as one
grows old; the teeth/grinders cease because they are few and so on . . .

"Remember also your Creator in the days of
your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will
say, “I have no pleasure in them”; before the sun and the light and the moon
and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain, in the day
when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the
grinders cease because they are few, and those who look through the windows are
dimmed, and the doors on the street are shut—when the sound of the grinding is
low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are
brought low— they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way;
the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and desire fails,
because man is going to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the
streets— before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or
the pitcher is shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern,
and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who
gave it. Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity." (Ecclesiastes
12:1–8)

It seems like Solomon was having a bad
day when he wrote Ecclesiastes. He sees mostly the negatives about life and the
aging process is part of that. Perhaps he does not want to grow old, or lose
his faculties. Most of us don’t. Yet much of his other writing in Proverbs, and
even parts of this book, are positive. He can speak that way because of faith.

I know about that up/down, back/forth aspect
of life. When I am operating apart from the Spirit of God, I am negative also. I
don’t want any aches and pains and cannot see any good in growing old. But with
faith, things look different!

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped
for, the conviction of things not seen . . . And without faith it is impossible
to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists
and that he rewards those who seek him." (Hebrews 11:1, 6)

Faith is the ability to see beyond what
my eyes can see. I cannot see God, but by faith I know He is not only real, but
He is taking care of me. I cannot see eternity or even imagine what it will be
like, but by faith I am certain that I will spend it with God because that is
His promise to all who believe in Jesus Christ.

Jacob (Isaac) would not see his
grandchildren grow up, but he knew by faith that God would take care of them. He
also knew by faith what their lives would bring, so “By faith Isaac invoked
future blessings on Jacob and Esau.” (Hebrews 11:20)

Most of Hebrews 11 is known as the Hall
of Faith where God’s people are commended for trusting Him. Not every name is
here, but many are, along with their circumstances where faith marked their
lives . . .

"And all these, though commended through
their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided
something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect."
(Hebrews 11:39–40)

Faith is not so much about getting what I
believe God will give me, but just believing God will provide, take care of me.
I can pray with assurance, perhaps not seeing answers in my lifetime here, but I
know that God is faithful and His plan is perfect. He will do whatever He says He
will do!

Thursday, January 29, 2015

These past few days, two of our adult
children have been with us on our vacation. We like to play cards and board
games. These two have not seen each other for nearly three years, so with the
games and their antics, laughter fills our space. I cannot imagine what a long separation
would be like, never mind the one that happened between Joseph and his brothers
who sold him into slavery.

That story always makes me weep. After
several years apart and his brothers and father thinking he was dead, Joseph
faced them without being recognized. With some strategy, he arranged that his
brother Benjamin was with him in Egypt along with the others. Finally it was
time for the reveal . . .

“And Joseph said to his brothers, ‘I am
Joseph! Is my father still alive?’ But his brothers could not answer him, for
they were dismayed at his presence. So Joseph said to his brothers, ‘Come near
to me, please.’ And they came near. And he said, ‘I am your brother, Joseph,
whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves
because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the
famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which
there will be neither plowing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to
preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors.
So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to
Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.’”
(Genesis 45:3—8)

I wept reading this, particularly that
Joseph understood the plan of God in all his suffering. He was where he was so
that he could save those who put him there. This is a picture of what Jesus did.
He went to the cross because of our sin; we put Him there so He could pay our
penalty for sin and set us free from eternal damnation. He was where He was so
that He could save sinners who put Him there.

I am deeply touched by Joseph’s
understanding. He was not angry or vengeful toward his brothers. He may not
have known the plan of God at the time, but as it unfolded he could see what God
was doing. This happened because Joseph put his faith in God, even during his struggles
and hardship.

Later Solomon wrote about the value of
this trust: “As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the
womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes
everything. In the morning sow your seed, and at evening withhold not your
hand, for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both
alike will be good.” (Ecclesiastes 11:5–6)

I cannot fully understand the plan of God,
just as I cannot understand how life comes to an unborn child. I cannot predict
the outcome of those tomatoes we plantedin the spring or the devotional posts I put on this blog. I have no idea
what God will use or do with anything I do, but He is faithful. He knows the
end from the beginning. He just asks me to trust and obey Him.

Seeing Jesus in the life of Joseph is not
far-fetched. The Bible says that the Scriptures point to Him, just as the law is
but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these
realities. However, a shadow such as those sacrifices that were continually
offered every year, cannot make perfect those who drew near to God in that way.
If a shadow could do it, once the worshipers were cleansed, they would no
longer have any consciousness of sins. Yet the shadows are not the reality.
Those sacrifices reminded the people of their sins and they knew that it was
impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away those sins. (Hebrews
10:1–4)

Then God sent His Son, and like Joseph,
He had a special role. He was not saving His people from death by famine but
from death as a result of their sin. Joseph was the shadow; Jesus is the
reality . . .

“For by a single offering he has
perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also
bears witness to us; for after saying, ‘This is the covenant that I will make
with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their
hearts, and write them on their minds,’ then he adds, ‘I will remember their
sins and their lawless deeds no more.’”

Joseph forgave his brothers because he
loved them. Jesus forgave sin because He also loves us, but His love was not
enough. The Bible says that without the shedding of blood, there is no
forgiveness from God. Sin must be punished and sin’s reward is death. That is
why Jesus died – and His death was enough.

“Where there is forgiveness of these,
there is no longer any offering for sin. Therefore, brothers, since we have
confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and
living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his
flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near
with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean
from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” (Hebrews 10:14–22)

The story of Joseph makes me weep with
joy. However, the Gospel story fills my heart with indescribable emotions,
including gladness, humility, sorrow, relief, and even outrage at myself for
putting Jesus on the Cross to die for me.

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Mothers and fathers are known to want to
do it. Sometimes a friend will offer to do it. I’m talking about people who are
willing to take someone’s place to spare that person or keep them from harm or
danger. It is a loving thing, not done thoughtlessly, yet sometimes offered
spontaneously.

In the story of Joseph who is a type of Christ,
another person also demonstrates the character of Jesus Christ. This time it is
Judah, the older brother. He finds out that the person in charge of the grain
in Egypt (Joseph, but none of the brothers know it at this time) wants to keep
Benjamin, his little brother while they take the grain back to their home. Judah
pleads with the man. Instead of leaving the boy and risk breaking the heart of
their father, he offers himself as a substitute. “Now therefore, please let
your servant remain instead of the boy as a servant to my lord, and let the boy
go back with his brothers.” (Genesis 44:33)

This points to Jesus who did that for us.
The ‘enemy’ of death put its claim on us, and sin gave him had good reason, but
the Lord offered to take our place. Jesus died for sinners so that we might
return to our Father and live forever. Praise His amazing willingness to be our
substitute.

The next reading reminded me of an artist
who taught me a great deal about plein air painting, that is, painting outdoors
where the light is constantly changing and sometimes the weather raises havoc
with your work. The verse says, “He who observes the wind will not sow, and
he who regards the clouds will not reap.” (Ecclesiastes 11:4)

My art teacher said, “If I let the
weather keep me in, soon I will not go out at all.” He painted summer and
winter, wind or rain, and when it was -40, he painted in his car until the
paint became too stiff to use. His name was Paul Braid, and although he has
died, his work is still available because he never let anything stop him from
doing what he did best.

The Lord put this same wisdom in His Word
and I need to hear it over and over. When confronted with anything I don’t want
to do, it is easy to find an excuse to keep me from doing it. My father called
anyone with excuses a “can’t-man” and for him, that was the worst kind of
worker. God often uses His Word, Paul’s reasoning, and my dad’s value system to
keep me from giving in to procrastination.

The third reading today gave two promises
from God. The first is one He made to Israel as they struggled to be the
children of God and failed so many times. How precious are these words: “For
this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those
days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on
their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they
shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know
the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest.
For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins
no more.” (Hebrews 8:10–12)

Instead of struggling to remember and do
the will of God, God Himself comes into the hearts of those who will believe in
Him and welcome Him into their lives. He brings with Him new life, rebirth, a
new creation. I am new because Jesus lives in me. When He is joyful, I feel His
joy. When He grieves, I feel His sorrow. When He says ‘do this’ I know what He wants.

The second promise is that Jesus will
return. The first time He came to die for my sin. The second time will be
different: “Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will
appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly
waiting for him.” (Hebrews 9:28)

Most of the times that I yearn for the
second coming are times of pain and struggle, but there are days that I think
of Jesus and just want to be with Him, to enjoy His smile, to feel His touch,
and to celebrate the fact of no more sin, ever. Because He said He would come, I
know it is true and eagerly look forward to that day.

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Last night I brought an item to the till
in a store, but it didn’t have a tag. I told the clerk what I remembered about
the price ($1.99), but since he was the only clerk with a line of people, I offered
to go back for a price check. My memory fell short; it was $2.99 and I told him
the higher price. In the meantime, he called someone because he didn’t know how
to ring it in without a barcode. The store manager heard me say the higher
price and he asked if $1.99 would be okay. I said that was fine with me . . . and I thought of grace.

When Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt to
buy grain during the famine, Joseph recognized them, but they did not know who
he was. After the transaction, they went home only to discover that the money
they paid for the grain was back in their possession. They were terrified but
didn’t know what to do.

The famine continued so they had to
return to Egypt for more grain. The story had much more to it, but this detail
touched my heart. When they told Joseph that his payment was still in their
bags, he replied, “Peace to you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of
your father has put treasure in your sacks for you. I received your money.”
(Genesis 43:23)

This is an excellent illustration of God’s
grace. We come to Him looking for what we need to live, to live eternally. He
gives us what we need and when we try to pay Him for it, He does the same to us
as Joseph did to his brothers. Everything we try to offer God comes back to us.
He says, “I have given you all this, because Jesus Christ paid the price, your
payment has already been received.”

Joseph is referred to as a type or shadow
of Christ. This is one reason why. No matter what I try to offer God, I cannot
out-give Him. His generosity is overwhelming.

God rewards His people because of His grace.
I can do nothing to earn or deserve His blessings, yet at the same time, there
are blessed consequences for doing His will, for living as He directs. This simple
verse also caught my eye today: “The words of a wise man’s mouth win him
favor, but the lips of a fool consume him.” (Ecclesiastes 10:12)

When I talk like a fool, my words eat me
up and spit me out. When I listen to God and speak as He directs, I’m blessed,
often by the people around me because they like what they are hearing. Even though
obedience brings good results, this too is grace. God blesses me because He loves
to bless me, not because I deserve it.

Two NT verses catch my eye also. The first
one reminds me of a sermon we heard nearly a month ago. It tells how those who
practice obedience as a habit are far more discerning than those who do not. “Solid
food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained
by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” (Hebrews 5:14)

Such practice trains God’s people and
builds our understanding. As that happens, we become more mature (like Jesus)
and in that maturity, we are better able to distinguish good from evil. Again, grace
is free yet obedience brings good results.

The same author who wrote that verse also
wrote this passage: “For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and
the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still
do. And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full
assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators
of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” (Hebrews
6:10–12)

Even though many of God’s promises are unconditional,
He does call me to obedience. He will not forget the work I do in His name, nor
will my diligence go unnoticed. I cannot earn my salvation yet grace is always
free and not earned. Just knowing that He gives me that freedom is grace, and His
grace increases my desire to obey Him. Praise His name!

Blog Description

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16–17)